


if it's meant to be (it'll be)

by stilljunhui (acyria)



Series: I'm Your Boy (The Boyz Soulmate!AU) [1]
Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hwallyeon, Idk but I ship, Juhwall, Light Angst, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, me actually adding angst in the tags? is the world ending?, what are they called - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-01-20 06:17:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12426741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acyria/pseuds/stilljunhui
Summary: Juyeon just wanted to know his name—hisrealname—was that too much to ask?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Soulmate!AU + College / Uni Setting**  
>   
>  Not all the members make an appearance here, I’m sorry! I couldn’t find a natural way to fit in all 12 of them while still keeping their real ages in mind, so I chose just a few ; A ; I love all of them though asdjgjlkgdfhsd.  
>   
>  **Ages (retained) + Names used (stage name, if I use their real name):**  
>  (Senior) 97line: Jacob  
> (Juniors) 98line: Juyeon, Changmin / Q*, Chanhee (New), Kevin  
> (Sophomore) 99line: Haknyeon  
> (Freshmen) 00line: Sunwoo, Hwall / Hyunjoon*  
>   
> Basically, I used everybody’s real names (plus stage names for those with an asterisk*) and English names for the overseas boys instead of their Korean names.

* * *

 

The first time Juyeon laid eyes on him was during one of Changmin’s dance performances. 

 

He had attended Changmin’s event because they were friends, after all, but mainly because Chanhee had wanted to go together as a group and Juyeon couldn’t escape the planning without being called a bad friend. Truth be told, despite his interest in dance, watching performances like this wasn’t something he was too keen about. For the most part, it always made him itch to be up on stage as well; something that sadly, his engineering course didn’t give him enough time to do so. 

 

There was also the heat that came with it since most events were held on the campus square instead of one of the air-conditioned auditoriums. Changmin was a Junior year performer now, which just meant he usually performed closer towards the end of the event, while the lower years went first. That meant Juyeon couldn’t escape earlier on since they haven’t cheered for their friend yet—pairing his impatience with the heat just made for an uncomfortable experience.

 

“I have an exam tomorrow,” Juyeon complained as the group took their seats near the front.

 

“We all know you’re smart enough to ace it without studying the night before,” Chanhee said cheerfully. “You’re the only nerd of the group, after all.”

 

At that, Haknyeon snorted, “that’s rich coming from a pre-med major. Don’t _you_ have exams, hyung?”

 

Immediately, Chanhee shushed him by waving a banner in front of his face, blocking out the complaints that followed as well. He only stopped once Kevin voiced out how Changmin’s face on the banner might get wrinkled, and their efforts in actually designing and printing the thing would go to waste. Printing the banner was definitely a one-time only thing with how expensive it was, so they can’t risk destroying it if they wanted to use it for all of Changmin’s events.

 

Juyeon inwardly sighed at the thought. More events to go to.

 

“It’s starting, guys!” Jacob soon commented helpfully, as if they could miss the loud voice over the speakers announcing the same thing. The names of the students performing were announced along with the stage name they went by, if any. Ji Changmin—also known as just Q—was set to perform 4th from the last. That meant Juyeon had to go through an entire 15 performances before he could leave and still be considered a good friend.

 

The voice over announced their first performer of the night and Juyeon was soon lost in thought about how much he actually _didn’t_ know what the exam tomorrow was about.

 

Just because they were freshmen didn’t mean that their performances were bad, though. Quite the opposite, really. Every now and then a performance would be impressive enough to garner screaming and hollering from the crowd, particularly from Juyeon’s group of friends, loud enough to draw his attention back to whoever was on the stage. It was during the last freshman’s performance that this happened, when an over-excited Kevin shouted _“damn, Daniel!”_ as the rest of the crowd went wild.

 

Juyeon really wished he had paid attention sooner and not just because he missed what must have been a great move.

 

It was extremely rare for someone to catch his eye; so rare that a majority of his friends have sometimes wondered if maybe he just asexual or aromantic, but he knew that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t that he hasn’t ever had an interest in anyone, it was more of just that he’s tried to date around or go for people he found interesting, but things just didn’t feel right. Not when he had his soulmate’s name marked on his wrist. It just didn’t seem fair to date other people, even if there were cases of soulmates not ending up together.

 

He still had the small hope he'll meet his soulmate eventually. That it'll be worth the wait. 

 

Whoever was on stage definitely piqued his interest, though. Even if he missed what made the crowd go wild, the rest of his performance was still no joke. His slim, pale body moved to the rhythm like it was nothing, paired with an intense gaze in his eyes that also managed to draw the crowd in some more. Juyeon knew how to appreciate good dance skills, but he also found himself appreciating how cute the boy looked, too. The freshman would occasionally send a bright smile towards the crowd; that was definitely cute. 

 

Too bad it appeared to be the end of his performance. 

 

As the announcer began to introduce the next set of dancers from the sophomore year, Juyeon nudged Jacob, who was thankfully the one sitting to his right. Any of the other guys would have made a big scene about his question and apparent interest in the dancer. He spoke loudly enough to be heard over the cheering crowd, but was careful to keep his tone low enough not be overheard by their other friends. 

 

“Hey, did you catch his name?”

 

“Not really,” came the reply. Juyeon was ready to be disappointed, when Jacob continued, having caught on exactly _why_ Juyeon was asking. He only ever asked about someone if he had hoped that that someone was his soulmate, after all. “I heard his stage name though, if that helps. He calls himself Hwall." 

 

Hwall. 

 

Unconsciously, Juyeon began to fidget with the bracelet around his right wrist. It was more of a wrap around, not too thick, but enough to cover his soulmark. When it had first appeared, a whole three years ago, he had actually been in the middle of a date with a girl from his old high school. He had wanted to get into a relationship before entering college, but the moment his soulmark appeared along with the look of recognition that passed over his date's face, he knew they'd end the night as just friends. 

 

Even without his growing lack of interest in dating, most people also tended to stay away from those who were already marked. In Juyeon's case, his good looks and overall intelligence made it hard for people to just give up on him that easily, hence why he was dragged into dates now and then. He started every blind date he was set up with with the fact that he already had a soulmark. Sometimes, the people he would date would also have their own soulmark, and would try and convince him that they could ignore it and break fate's rules. 

 

Maybe he was a bit of a romantic at heart, but he could never really do it. 

 

"Was his actual name announced?"

 

His eyes flicked to Juyeon's wrist for a moment before Jacob smiled apologetically and shrugged, "I don't think so. It probably was at the beginning, but I didn't hear it. Maybe you could ask Changmin once this is done? He might know." 

 

Asking Changmin meant waiting until the event was over if he wanted an immediate answer—which also meant he couldn't leave before the event ended like he had originally planned. Silently weighing the two options in his head, Juyeon wondered if it was actually worth it. Not only was it unsure that Changmin even knew the guy's name, there was also the uncertainty of whether it matched what was on Juyeon's wrist. However, the opposite result where he _does_ know the name and it _does_ match definitely weighed more. With that in mind, he decided to wait it out. 

 

Changmin was, unsurprisingly, useless with the matter. 

 

"A _freshman_?" He exclaimed loudly, wide eyed at Juyeon's question. They had met up with him after the event and decided to celebrate the successful performance at a bingsu place near campus. Juyeon had tagged along with the sole purpose of asking, voicing it out only when he was left alone with Changmin while the others went to order. "You're interested in a _freshman_? Lee Juyeon, a _fr_ —" 

 

"You make it sound like I'm some sort of criminal," Juyeon complained. He was only two years older, after all. 

 

Changmin laughed good-naturedly and shook his head, "it's not that and you know it. This isn't like you, Juyeon, but since I am a great friend regardless, I’ll offer my help. The last one to perform, right?"

 

A nod from Juyeon and a few seconds of pondering later, the brown haired boy's face lit up—sparking a light of hope in Juyeon as well as he waited for Changmin’s answer. 

 

"Hwall!"

 

Hope that was quickly diminished. 

 

"Not his stage name," Juyeon groaned, sure he mentioned the same when he first asked. "His _real_ name, Changmin." 

 

"I have no idea, we don't refer to each other by our real names during practice."

 

"What, you go around being called Q all the time?" 

 

Changmin grinned, "pretty much. I don't get to talk to the freshmen as much either, so I can't ask the others. I can try if you really wanna know though. Do you think he could be your soulmate?”

 

As if things could get any worse, it was at that exact moment that the rest of guys decided to return to their table. Haknyeon, ever the gossip king, perked up _immediately_ once he heard their current topic; his wide eyes turned towards Juyeon, then back to Changmin, then finally back to Juyeon as a bright smile appeared on his face. Chanhee appeared nonchalant, but Juyeon could tell he’ll be prying the information out of Changmin sooner or later. He might as well come clean.

 

“What’s this about Juyeon-hyung’s _soulmate_?” Haknyeon asked, wiggling his brows as he emphasized the last word.

 

Changmin glanced at Juyeon, silently asking permission.

 

The latter sighed, “go ahead.”

 

“Juyeonie here is interested in one of the dancers earlier!” He blurted out, earning a collectiveand clearly exaggerated gasp from the group. 

 

Chanhee clapped his hands, “which one, Juyeon? Is it one of the seniors? I knew you wouldn’t have stayed till the end if you weren’t looking forward to watching someone perform—“

 

“Hey! Do you mean he wouldn’t have stayed for me?” Changmin interjected with a feigned look of hurt.

 

“—so which one is it?” The other boy continued, ignoring his friend as he stared at Juyeon, eyes filled with excitement.

 

Juyeon fidgeted in his seat, suddenly over-conscious about how everybody was looking at him. Chanhee, Haknyeon, and even Changmin all had matching mischievous looks on their faces, even if the latter already knew what he was going to say. Kevin was polite enough not to bombard Juyeon with questions as he waited, while Jacob already knew what everything was about, anyway. 

 

He sighed, “it’s one of the freshmen, actually. The last one to perform. Hwall?”

 

Chanhee’s mouth turned into a perfect ‘o’ shape.

 

“Don’t worry, hyung!” Haknyeon said excitedly, patting Juyeon on the shoulder. “We’ll help you get to know him! Right, Changmin-hyung?”

 

Even if that was meant to comfort him, Juyeon couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread settle within him instead. It doubled when Changmin agreed. 


	2. Chapter 2

Turns out, their way of “helping” was actually quite intricately planned, at least by their standards. Instead of going for the simple option of just, well, asking one of the freshmen or maybe even Hwall himself for the details Juyeon wanted, Changmin laid out the “plan” to the other boy a few days later. Why go for the easy route, he said. Why not, Juyeon had tried to argue, but reminded himself that he probably really won’t get anywhere without Changmin’s help and so just silently agreed.

 

The plan began with Changmin getting Hwall’s dance schedule from their coach.

 

“The freshmen usually practice at the studio around these times,” the brown haired boy said eagerly as they all gathered in Juyeon’s dorm room, pointing at the piece of paper he had given the latter to review. “I’ve highlighted which ones are sure to have Hwall practicing.” 

 

“Does Juyeon share the same break, though?” Kevin pointed out, ever the advocate for not cutting class. 

 

Scoffing, Haknyeon waved a hand to dismiss the thought, “not important. Carry on.”

 

“The rest is all up to Juyeon, actually,” Changmin said, not really of much help by this point. “He can drop by the dance studio and say he’s looking for me. He could pretend he’s looking to join the dance club since I said so.” 

 

Chanhee frowned, “he can’t, though, he’s an Engineering major. Isn’t that why he didn’t join back then? I’m surprised he even has time for all _this_ to begin with."

 

Silently, Juyeon agreed and said a prayer for his grades.

 

“He won’t _actually_ join,” the dancer soon clarified. “Just say he’s interested, maybe get Hwall curious, then they end up talking and being friends, all that—main point is, he has a reason to talk to Hwall. He can introduce himself and find out Hwall’s real name by then. It’s foolproof.”

 

Jacob let out a low whistle, “sounds tedious, but it just might work. Surprisingly. Good job, Changmin!”

 

“Thank you, thank you.”

 

One of the time slots indicated on the schedule Juyeon was given was for later that day, thankfully (according to Kevin, at least) after all of his classes. After a few hours of lessons—in which he was far too distracted to actually listen to anything or take down notes, whoops—he finally gathered enough resolve and decided to head to the dance studio. He might as well take the first chance he got, right? Why waste an opportunity? 

 

Juyeon could tell that there was someone inside the dance studio as he walked towards the room. The music was loud enough to be heard even a few doors down, along with how the closer he got, the louder the sound of sneakers skidding on the floor became, too. If Changmin was right about the schedule he gave, Hwall should be among the students in the studio right now. If he was absolutely right, maybe even the only one.

 

Once outside the door, Juyeon took a deep breath, and knocked.

 

“Hello?” He opened the door slightly, poking his head through. 

 

Sure enough, the only person in the room at that moment was Hwall. He looked just like how Juyeon had remembered him from the dance event—dressed in an all black, dancer’s attire, with his hair slicked back. There was a sheen of sweat on his forehead that glistened on his pale skin. It actually took him a few more seconds to realize there was another person in the room, but when he did, Hwall immediately hurried to stop the music.

 

“Sorry! I didn’t see you right away,” he said, a hint of a Busan accent along the edges of his words. His voice sounded more youthful than Juyeon had previously imagined, not entirely matching his intense image. He was a lot taller up close, too.

 

Standing a bit straighter, Juyeon smiled what he hoped was a charming smile, “it’s alright. I wanted to ask if Changmin was here.”

 

“Changmin…?” Hwall asked, tilting his head to the side. The hanging earring he had on one ear followed suit. 

 

Oh, right. Dancer names.

 

“Q,” Juyeon supplied, watching as recognition lit up Hwall’s face. “He told me to drop by if I wanted to, uhm, ask about the dance club?”

 

The younger boy smiled at that, the kind of smile that made his eyes turn into small, crescent moon shapes, an entire 180 degree turn from his chic boy look. “Oh, Q-sunbaenim! He isn’t here, but maybe I can help?”

 

After a split second, he smiled wider and said, “you can call me Hwall. Are you a Junior like him?”

 

“Yeah, I am. Nice to meet you. My name is Juyeon,” he said, taking great care into pronouncing the syllables properly incase his name sparked something in Hwall, since it didn’t seem like he was getting the other’s actual name anytime soon. If Hwall wanted to be called Hwall right off the bat, then that was fine. There were other ways of figuring things out. “Lee Juyeon.”

 

“Do you have a soulmark?” 

 

Hwall had asked almost immediately, causing the elder’s heart to skip a beat and then steadily begin racing. Really? Was it this easy? He was silent for a few seconds and must have taken in Juyeon’s shocked expression as something negative, since he spoke again quickly after. “Sorry, it’s just one of the first things I ask people when I meet them. People usually ask me the same. You can choose not to answer, it’s fine.”

 

Oh.

 

Was that really it?

 

“I—I do, actually,” Juyeon found himself stammering. At that, the younger boy’s eyes trained towards Juyeon’s wrist, causing the other to touch it almost by reflex. Before he had decided to wear something to cover it, his primary method of shielding it from people was to simply put his hand over it. Old habits die hard, perhaps. Shrugging the feeling off, he raised his wrist a little to show the band.

 

“Me too!”

 

Beaming, Hwall raised his right arm and pointed to the same spot on his wrist, where all soulmarks were. There, perfectly camouflaged with his own skin, lay a bandaid that Juyeon definitely wouldn’t have noticed by himself. He probably would have assumed there was nothing on Hwall’s skin.

 

The younger boy grinned, “it’s more comfortable this way. Wearing an arm band got annoying really quickly for me.”

 

This should have been the part that Hwall announced that the name under his bandaid was the name Lee Juyeon and that they were soulmates. He should have asked to see what was under Juyeon’s bracelet, confirm it was his real name, and then the two of them could start dating happily. This was how the events played out in Juyeon’s head, at least, once the soulmark topic was opened. Instead, it seemed like Hwall moved on after that one question.

 

“So, you’re Q-sunbaenim’s friend, right?” He asked, smiling.

 

After a few seconds of pause, Juyeon nodded, shaking off the moment of confusion he felt from the sudden change in topic.

 

“Yeah. He isn’t here?”

 

“Nope,” Hwall shook his head as he answered, a small pout forming on his lips. The more he spoke, the more Juyeon got the idea that he only had an intense aura he had when dancing; everything else about him was oozing with a sort of natural cuteness that was quickly becoming too much for Juyeon’s heart to handle. “None of the other upperclassmen are, either. I’m usually the only one here at this time. What's this about the dance club?" 

 

Juyeon searched his head for the right things to say, “I’m—“

 

He can’t say he was joining, because he actually _really_ didn’t have time for that at all, even if Hwall was now in the mix. That was a temptation he could say no to. He wasn’t a dance major either, so there was no real reason for him to be there. As he began fumbling over his next words, he really wished he had practiced dialogue with Chanhee when the other boy offered.

 

“I’m working on a project,” he decided to say. “It’s a creative interview for one of my electives. Changmin—uh, Q—said I could try having the dance club as my subject.”

 

That wasn’t entirely a lie. He _did_ have one random elective that year that was a fine arts one since he was dragged into it by Kevin. There _was_ a project, but things were already in the process of being finalized. For the most part, Juyeon had no idea what he meant when he said “creative interview” either. Maybe he can make something up along the way. Hwall didn’t need to know that, though, as the younger boy’s eyes widened in childish excitement once he heard that the dance club was going to be the focus.

 

“That’s sounds great!” Hwall commented, bright smile back in place. “Do you need me to call the president of the club? Maybe some of the older members—“

 

Juyeon shook his head quickly, “it won’t need that much people. If ever, maybe you could be one of them? I already have Q on board. You could, uh, bring a friend if it makes you more comfortable.”

 

“Are you sure? I’m just a freshman. The others are more skilled.”

 

The others are more skilled? Juyeon begged to differ, as the other boy’s dance performance flashed in his head again—not that he gave much focus to any of the others. He debated whether he should mention this or not. Would it be too obvious? A bit awkward? Then again, his project supposedly focused on the dance club anyway. It only made sense he was interested in his topic, right?

 

“It’s alright, I’m sure,” he began to say. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, he continued, “I watched the dance event the other day, actually. You’re really good, Hwall.”

 

“Oh!”

 

A hint of pink bloomed on the younger boy’s cheeks, fairly obvious against his pale skin. He looked towards the floor and smiled, shy for what seemed like the first time that afternoon. Juyeon couldn’t help but smile at the sight, glad things were off to a good start between the two of them. After a few seconds, Hwall looked up again, as Juyeon wiped the cheesy smile he had on his face as quickly as possible.

 

“Can I ask for my friend Sunwoo to be in this too, then? We’re both freshmen, if it’s alright.”

 

“Of course,” Juyeon found himself agreeing almost immediately. Anything to make Hwall agree, after all. He could work with the Sunwoo guy too, why not? A little added effort can’t be that bad, even if a little voice in his head (that sounded suspiciously like Chanhee) was telling him this was a lot to go through just to know someone’s real name. He could have just manned up and asked Hwall earlier when they were introducing each other and saved himself the trouble.

 

Too late now.

 

They exchanged contact numbers soon after, with Hwall giving him Sunwoo’s as well. Hwall had saved his number as ‘Hwall’ even if Juyeon saved his as ‘Lee Juyeon’ once more, but the latter tried not to be too disappointed about it. Since Juyeon’s schedule for the rest of the day was full, they agreed to meet the next day at one of the small cafe’s within the campus. Hwall volunteered to explain things to Sunwoo, too, and be the one bringing him along.

 

“Thanks for agreeing to help, Hwall,” Juyeon said just before he left.

 

Hwall grinned, “I hope your project goes well, sunbae!”

 

“You can call me hyung,” the older boy said smoothly (at least, he hoped it was). “I’ll be seeing you then?”

 

There was a blush on the younger’s face again as he nodded.

 

“Alright, Juyeon-hyung.”

 

That was something Juyeon could definitely get used to—both the blush on Hwall’s cheeks and the way the other boy said his name. He left the dance studio soon after, his goal having been accomplished. Part of his goal, anyway. Whether Hwall was his soulmate or not, there was something about the younger boy that drew him in regardless. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t actually matter if they were soulmates or not?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12/6/17 EDIT: *SHRIEKS* BECAUSE HWALL IS IN ALL BLACK WHILE HE WAS IN THE DANCE STUDIO FOR THE "BOY" MV!!!!!!!!!!!!


	3. Chapter 3

Juyeon wished he had a plan.

 

He texted later that night to remind Hwall of their meeting and took careful attention not to reply too quickly so that things wouldn’t be _that_ obvious. It was only a few quick confirmation texts anyway. Juyeon also sent an update to the group chat he had with his friends, promptly muting his notifications afterwards so he wouldn’t be bothered by the onslaught of replies that was sure to follow. 

 

The next day came faster than expected, and Juyeon soon found himself sitting idly at the cafe as he waited, earlier than the time they were supposed to meet.

 

Hwall entered, surprisingly, just a few minutes after Juyeon got there. A shorter boy with blonde hair followed behind him—Sunwoo, probably—looking a bit put off by the entire situation. Hopefully he wouldn’t be a problem, right? The younger boy spotted Juyeon soon enough as the latter waved them over with a smile. He can deal with Hwall’s friend.

 

“Hi, Juyeon-hyung!” Hwall said brightly, sitting across Juyeon with Sunwoo sliding in next to him. “This is the friend I was talking about, Kim Sunwoo. I’ve already told him about your project.”

 

Juyeon smiled, noting that Sunwoo was introduced with what was definitely his real name and not his stage name. 

 

“Thanks, it’s nice seeing you again. It’s nice to meet you too, Sunwoo.”

 

He opted for his friendliest smile, but was surprised when Sunwoo only nodded in response, face still impassive. That wasn’t a good sign at all. Juyeon figured if he wanted to get into Hwall’s good graces, he had to get into his friend’s good graces as well. Clearing his throat, he handed the menu he was given earlier to the two newcomers. 

 

“Pick something out, it’s on me. As a thanks for helping,” he explained as an afterthought when he saw Hwall open his mouth to protest. Sunwoo didn’t say anything and just took the menu immediately. Again, a voice that sounded a lot like Chanhee’s nagging was telling him that _spending for a fake project_ was doing too much. He ignored it, as always. It didn’t take long before the two decided on some cold drinks as Juyeon waved a waiter over to take their order.

 

Hwall glanced around, “there’s service water by the counter. I’ll go get some for us, since hyung is already paying and all.”

 

He got up before Juyeon could offer to go with him, leaving the two alone.

 

“Alright, sunbae, real talk. What’s this really about?” Sunwoo asked with raised eyebrows the moment Hwall was out of earshot. 

 

Fidgeting in his seat at the sudden question, Juyeon chuckled nervously, “w-what do you mean?”

 

“I’m a _Fine Arts_ major. You probably never noticed, but we’re in the same class you and your other friends got as an elective,” the younger boy said pointedly, and Juyeon began to see where this was going. Dread filled him completely. “I’m pretty sure we don’t have a project that needed something like this. This is very elaborate, too. I’ll be straight with you—are you interested in Hwall?” 

 

There was only two things Juyeon could have done in that situation.

 

Lie or tell the truth.

 

Surprisingly, he found himself doing the latter.

 

“I am,” he admitted easily, touching his soulmate band by reflex as a way to calm his nerves down as he spoke. Juyeon glanced at Hwall to see him almost ready to head back. He regarded Sunwoo with a serious look, hoping the other boy would see that he actually was sincere about this. “Please don’t tell him? Not yet, maybe? I just wanna get to know him more at this point, that’s all.”

 

Sunwoo stared at him for a good few seconds.

 

“Fine,” the blonde relented. Juyeon released a breath he didn’t know he was holding in, stiff shoulders finally relaxing. “But, know this: Hwall’s a good friend of mine. As the cliche goes, if you break his heart, you answer to me. Even if I may be younger than you.”

 

Juyeon nodded, “I can respect that.”

 

“I’m back! Sorry for the wait,” Hwall’s bright voice cut through the tense atmosphere immediately as he appeared next to the table, balancing cups of water that he soon placed down carefully.Sunwoo took one and drank from it immediately as the other boy sat back down. “They didn’t have enough water for a third cup, so I had to ask for the pitcher to be refilled and—“

 

“I gotta go,” Sunwoo interrupted, getting up. His face was still pretty expressionless, which Juyeon figured was just his default look. There was a certain edge to it that said ‘you owe me one’ when he turned to face the older boy, though, so maybe he wasn’t _that_ bad. “Sorry, sunbae, I just got a text about a required class meeting.”

 

He didn’t sound apologetic at all. A bit smug, maybe.

 

“Sorry for bailing, Hwall,” he continued, clapping the other boy’s shoulder as Hwall gave him a confused look. The waiter appeared right on time just as he was about to leave, which meant Sunwoo was still able to pick up his free drink—that brat—despite not being part of the fake project. If Juyeon owed him one, does that drink count as payment? Probably not.

 

When Sunwoo finally left, Hwall looked a lot more awkward than he did when they had first arrived. Without the third figure around, the whole setting looked more like a date, which would have pleased Juyeon except this was, after all, only their second time meeting. Plus, there was still the whole project thing he had to play along with that gave him extra trouble. He could at least try to fake some questions before aiming to get to know Hwall more.

 

“I hope you’re alright doing it without Sunwoo,” he decided to say. 

 

Frankly even Juyeon himself was beginning to feel nervous, but was immensely calmed down by Hwall as the latter smiled and nodded, taking a casual sip out of his iced americano with hazelnut syrup as he did so.

 

“I still am, I just thought having another dancer would help,” Hwall explained. He stared expectantly at the older boy, eyes bright and curious. “Ready when you are, Juyeon-hyung.”

 

Juyeon was definitely not ready.

 

He whipped out his laptop from his backpack in a sad attempt to at least look like he’s got something prepared; all he had open was an empty word doc as his brain tried to think of stuff that a creative interview would have. Questions that will help them get to know each other better, but also nothing too personal that they drift away from Juyeon’s supposed topic. This was hard. Maybe he should have just asked Hwall out the regular way.

 

“Alright, first things first then. Just out of formalities, name please?”

 

Smooth, real smooth.

 

“Hwall,” the younger boy said promptly.

 

“Do you want to be referred to as Hwall in the entire project or maybe your real name?” Juyeon asked, hoping it was a subtle and effective attempt at getting his real name.

 

Hwall shook his head, “I like going by Hwall, I hope that’s fine.”

 

Not like Juyeon can argue against that. 

 

“Of course,” the older boy said smoothly, typing it down. He asked a few more basic information like Hwall’s birthday just for the sake of it and eventually his course. Surprisingly, Hwall wasn’t a dance major, but a pre-med student like Chanhee. He didn’t look like the type to get into medicine, but that was probably because he still had the time to actually dance and not die from the academic load. He’ll be busier eventually, Juyeon noted in his head.

 

“So, why dancing?”

 

Juyeon figured this was the one thing he had to make sure to ask if his topic was about the dance club. It seemed like the question Hwall was waiting for, too, because the latter suddenly began talking excitedly about his passion for dance—how it started when he was young, watching videos of dance performances until he eventually decided to copy the moves. A hobby turned into a passion. He was also on scholarship for the dance club, too, which is why he made sure to find time to dance despite the school work.

 

For lack of a better word, Juyeon was amazed; the feelings he had for Hwall tripling as he listened to the younger boy speak, drinking in every word. Once excited, it seemed that Hwall was less aware of controlling his accent, the Busan edge that Juyeon noticed from before now stronger and more prominent. His interest also caused him to abandon the whole typing down Hwall’s answers thing, too.

 

Few things capture his interest for long amounts of time.

 

Hwall was definitely one of them.

 

“That’s…” Juyeon tried to say when Hwall ended his recollection—a few memories about his first dance contest. The younger boy must have noticed just then how much he spoke, as a faint blush appeared on his cheeks again. He sipped from his now watered down drink as Juyeon continued, still at a loss for words. “That’s really interesting. _You’re_ really interesting.”

 

“I’m glad I can help with your project, hyung,” came the shy reply.

 

The older boy smiled, “yeah, but I think I have enough data on dance now.”

 

“Oh, does that mean we’re done now—“ Hwall began to say. There was a bit of disappointment laced in his words; Juyeon hoped there was, anyway, as he quickly interrupted the other boy.

 

“I’d like to get to know you more instead,” Juyeon commented, heart racing even as he tried his best not to act _too_ nervous at that moment. “Outside of the project, if that’s alright with you.”

 

Hwall’s blush grew deeper at that, a smile playing on his lips that went from bashful to happy to mischievous all too quickly, matching the twinkle in his eyes.

 

“Only if that means I get to ask questions now, too.”

 

“Of course.”

 

In that small cafe, Lee Juyeon fell way too hard, way too quickly. 

 

He knew this. It was, in all honesty, a terrifying experience for him. It always was whenever he got a crush or tried to date around during the few times he did, really. There were the possibilities that loomed in his head about finally finding his soulmate, the lovesick scenarios filled with joy that followed, along with the strong mental image of a blushing Hwall. Everything was good fodder for his wild imagination. Even if there was nothing that confirmed the other boy was his soulmate, there wasn’t exactly anything that denied that either. Hope was still there.

 

Hope was, sometimes, a dangerous thing.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

“Juyeon! Lee Juyeon, open up!”

 

Instead of his alarm waking his up the morning after his coffee date (was it a date?) with Hwall, Juyeon woke up to incessant knocking and shouting at his door. He could already tell who it was by the voice alone—Changmin, of course—but there was a louder scuffling that followed that meant he wasn’t alone. He knew this was definitely because he left them hanging after announcing his plans the other day, but it was 9AM and _didn’t they have class?_

 

Juyeon made them wait another five minutes as he freshened up.

 

“Finally,” Changmin said as a way of greeting once the door was opened. “How could you make us wait that long?”

 

“You’re lucky I’m even opening this door.”

 

The other boy walked into the room with Chanhee and Haknyeon in tow, ignoring the snark in Juyeon’s statement as they made themselves at home on his bed, leaving him the only one standing in front of them. 

 

Haknyeon pouted, “you didn’t even open the group chat yet, hyung.”

 

“He was preoccupied,” Chanhee answered instead, smiling teasingly. “Which is exactly why we’re here to squeeze the details out of him. How was the date?”

 

Juyeon opened his mouth to say it wasn’t a date, because it _wasn’t_ , right? It was then that he remembered all that happened that afternoon, starting from when Sunwoo left. He learned enough about Hwall to say that he was interested in the younger boy to an extent, and the way Hwall asked questions about him and would blush at every compliment was hopefully an indication that he felt the same way. 

 

“It went pretty well,” he said instead of denying it, which made Haknyeon giggle and Changmin’s jaw drop in surprise. 

 

“No way!” The latter exclaimed, bouncing on the bed excitedly. “So is Hwall your _The One_? You know his real name? You saw his mark?”

 

“I don’t know, no, and no.”

 

It felt a little bad to answer that way, but it was the truth. After being denied Hwall’s real name again, Juyeon ended up forgetting all about it in the midst of their conversations. Hwall was extremely easy to talk to, along with his amusing reactions to Juyeon’s own stories. Time passed quickly between the two of them, with Juyeon hoping it didn’t have to end, until it was time for the younger boy’s class. He had to set a good example, somehow. 

 

Chanhee hummed in thought, “there’s something different with this situation, though. You’re still interested.”

 

“Of course,” Juyeon said easily. 

 

“What if he _is_ your soulmate?”  
  
“Then that’s great, right?”  
  
“And if he _isn’t_?”

 

Juyeon paused to consider the question thrown at him by Chanhee, ever the realist. He had a bit of a routine when it came to liking people who weren’t his soulmate, after all, with how he tried to get things to work, but it just never did. He was rarely optimistic about dating someone, but it was different with Hwall. Maybe it was the bit of hope he had clouding his thoughts and blinding him from reality, but he genuinely felt that things would be okay.

 

At least, if he didn’t think about it for too long. 

 

Dwelling about it for longer than a few minutes had him _actually thinking_ instead of just feeling. He _felt_ like it was alright with Hwall, but his thoughts said otherwise, screaming the name he had marked on his wrist. A constant reminder of why he was this troubled in the first place. A part of him wondered that shouldn’t that be the opposite way? That he felt something for his soulmate, but would think it was alright with Hwall?

 

“Juyeon?”

 

Snapping out of his thoughts, Juyeon gave a shrug.

 

“I haven’t thought that far yet.”

 

Changmin scoffed, “as if that moment of being dazed wasn’t you _thinking_ , Juyeon, please.”

 

“Whatever,” Juyeon said with another shrug, nudging the other boy out of the way so he could sit on his bed himself. It was significantly cramped having to squeeze four boys sitting by his bed, but somehow they managed, even if he was shoulder to shoulder with Haknyeon and Changmin. He could almost feel what they were thinking: curiosity, excitement, and a hint of doubt. Honestly, he felt the same.

 

Haknyeon broke the sudden silence first, “so, when are you seeing him again?”

 

“Uh, I don’t actually know,” Juyeon admitted.

 

He no longer had an actual excuse to see him again; his interview for the project was technically over and done with. Juyeon was almost resigned to never seeing Hwall again, which was something he sulked about alone last night when he thought about it, too. However, he did have the other boy’s number, and Hwall _did_ part ways with him yesterday saying that if Juyeon ever needed anything else, he was just a call away. 

 

He had sounded almost hopeful.

 

“What about asking him out again? Officially this time. You could take him to that thing Jacob-hyung is performing in this weekend.”

 

Juyeon had originally wanted to skip that one—he had already supported Changmin which should be enough to hit good friend quota—but Haknyeon suggesting he bring Hwall along sounded like a good idea. At this point, anything that involved the other boy seemed like a good idea; Juyeon found himself agreeing. Even if the current plan meant bringing Hwall along to essentially meet his entire group of friends, who would definitely be present to support Jacob. 

 

Unfortunately, the last part didn’t hit him until the day of the music festival actually came, when he arrived with Hwall beside him—it was an easy yes from the younger boy—and an overly excited Changmin shoving his face in front of them. 

 

“Hey, Hwall!” He said to the surprised freshman.

 

“Sunbae, hi,” Hwall greeted after composing himself, smiling brightly. “Juyeon-hyung mentioned you were friends.” 

 

Changmin grinned, “we definitely are, since we were kids in fact, do you want to learn about the time he—“

 

“Shut up, Changmin,” Juyeon interfered immediately before the other boy could tell his favourite childhood memory. He had meant to sound strict, but couldn’t help the feeling of fondness he got when Hwall ended up giggling at the exchange. The other guys were tame enough—Chanhee and Kevin weren’t rowdy at all, while Haknyeon was just glad he wasn’t the youngest around them anymore. 

 

Hwall fitting in with his friends made Juyeon more relieved than he thought it would.

 

Things became a bit of a routine, since then. Juyeon went to almost all of his friends’ events now with Hwall in tow; in turn, he found himself watching more dance performances even without Changmin in them. Sometimes, he would even end up with Hwall and Sunwoo again, with the latter slowly opening up to him as well. Things were progressing at a slow, steady pace, even for Juyeon—their hands lightly brushing against each other turned into holding hands, eventually. Days turned into weeks. 

 

It was only a matter of time before something went wrong.

 

The day started out as it always did between the two of them. A free day, time to eat out somewhere or maybe even catch a movie if they were up to commuting to the nearby mall, generally spending time together. It was one of those days where the university’s makeshift park seemed like a good place to spend their afternoon, with a light chill in the air that made the weather just right.

 

They were walking and talking—topics were endless to them, apparently—when Juyeon suddenly blurted out a question he thought had been forgotten. 

 

“Okay okay, how about this: can you finally tell me your real name?” 

 

“My real name?” Hwall repeated, face blank for a few moments as he paused in his step, far from his earlier laughing self. Immediately, Juyeon inwardly began to panic, worrying if maybe he had said the wrong thing at the wrong time, unlike what he had assumed. He figured they were at a level where it only made sense that he knew Hwall’s real name, after all they’ve gone through the past few weeks. Sure, he didn’t think about it as much as he did at the beginning of things, but it didn’t mean that the thought went away completely. 

 

He tried to play it cool, offering a smile when the younger boy stayed silent, “yeah, it can’t just be Hwall on your birth certificate, right?”

 

Instead of chuckling at the joke like Hwall usually does whenever Juyeon tried to be funny, the younger boy had a thoughtful look on his face.

 

“Real names are what’s marked on a person’s wrist, right?” He asked quietly, staring down at his feet.

 

Juyeon nodded, “yeah.”

 

“I don’t really like the idea of soulmates,” Hwall commented lightly; Juyeon felt something in his heart begin to crumble. The hope that maybe Hwall was the one slowly began to fade away. He waited for what the younger boy had to say before jumping to conclusions, which was exactly what he did when he assumed and hoped the boy to be his soulmate to begin with, anyway. After a few moments of silence, Hwall continued, finally looking up. 

 

“It almost feels like having a soulmark means you’re forced to _be_ with your soulmate. Love shouldn’t be forced, right? I always figured that if I ever meet my soulmate, I want them to like me for who I am,” Hwall paused for a few seconds, a small smile playing on his lips, but not enough to reach his eyes. Suddenly, he took Juyeon’s arm and tapped the bracelet that covered his soulmark, catching the elder by surprise. “And not because it’s the name on their wrist. That's what this is _reall_ y about, right?”

 

Juyeon opened his mouth to speak—to say no, he really does like Hwall—but found that he couldn’t. 

 

Even if he did find himself genuinely liking Hwall, there was still the underlying factor of whether he would actually do anything about it if it turns out the other boy wasn’t his soulmate. That was what started his desire to know his name, after all. The fact that this whole thing started because of that _want_. If Hwall wasn’t, what then? It was a possibility that he didn’t want to think about. Instead, he kept silent and waited, giving Hwall the chance to continue. 

 

“It’s why you want to know my real name so badly.”

 

The younger boy eventually said, more like he was stating a fact than asking a question now, still holding onto the other’s wrist. After a few seconds, he let go, letting the arm fall back into place at Juyeon’s side, even when the older boy found himself wanting to link their fingers together. After which, Hwall lifted his own wrist at eye level in between the two of them. The part where his faux bandaid covered his soulmark faced towards Juyeon. He smiled, beautiful as always that for a moment Juyeon was a bit too starstruck to realize he was speaking again.

 

“I know _your_ real name. If I tell you we’re soulmates, then that’s great—but what happens if we aren’t, hyung? Will your interest in me continue? Will you be able to sincerely like me?”

 

There was a hint of sadness in his eyes despite the smile on his face as he asked, almost as if he was already expecting a negative answer. Juyeon knew he should have answered immediately. He knew the correct answer—for all this to work—was to say yes, yes, _of course_ he would still like Hwall. However, there was a block in his throat that seemed to prevent this, and the pause he took was enough for the moment to shatter.

 

"Lee Juyeon, I'm not your soulmate," Hwall said simply, dropping his arm. "Will you take my word on that?" 


	5. Chapter 5

There were a lot of things Juyeon could have done after hearing what Hwall said. He could have said that it was okay, that it didn’t matter—he didn’t. He could have said he liked Hwall regardless, something they’ve never explicitly stated to each other despite their affectionate moments—he didn’t. He could have said he had even fallen in love, but he said nothing. Hwall remained silentabout the subject as well, even if he offered the older boy a smile at the end of the night before they parted. 

 

For good, it seemed.

 

Hwall and Juyeon stopped contacting each other after that night, neither of the two really even trying to start a conversation. For lack of a better term, Juyeon sulked. That was what all his friends would end up with whenever they would visit his room, all too cautious and too worried to actually say anything out of the ordinary to their usually carefree friend. None of them could say that maybe if Juyeon _actually_ messaged, Hwall would reply. 

 

Even Chanhee, who was hardly ever shy about butting in his friends’ problems and giving his two cents in, held his tongue. Juyeon had been in relationships before, albeit fleeting and short lived each time the other person wasn’t his soulmate; this was the only time he has seen Juyeon actually feel this bad after another failed attempt. Maybe it was because this time, he had hoped too much and for too long. Still, something about it felt off.

 

Haknyeon was the only one among them who bothered to talk about the situation.

 

Away from Juyeon, the youngest of their group of friends couldn’t help the scowl on his face.

 

“You can’t tell me Hwall didn’t lead him on,” Haknyeon said as the day progressed, voice a harsh whisper as he talked to Changmin. Juyeon was on his bed a bit farther from them, but thankfully too distracted by playing video games with Jacob and Kevin to pay attention to anything else. “This guy knew they weren’t soulmates, knew that they had soulmarks, and he still accepted the relationship.”

 

Changmin sighed, “you heard what Juyeon said when he told us what happened. Hwall had a pretty valid point, not letting soulmarks rule their lives and all. His worries feel legit. I just thought Juyeon-hyung would agree, for once.”

 

“Hwall doesn’t seem any different from all the others without soulmarks who tried to get Juyeon-hyung into a relationship with them.”

 

Chanhee, who had been listening to the conversation, shook his head as the pieces began to make sense to him.

 

“No, no, I think Hwall really does have good reason,” He said softly as he considered everything. “I mean, I get where he’s coming from. If they take the relationship further and then Juyeon finds out they’re not soulmates and does what he does now—run away and all—it’ll hurt more for Hwall in the end. Juyeon built himself up with the idea that Hwall was his soulmate.”

 

“If you think about it, it’s really Hwall who got dumped, because Juyeon couldn’t get himself to pursue someone who isn’t his soulmate. If anybody was lead on, it was Hwall,” Changmin agreed, causing Haknyeon’s scowl to fade a little, as all three of them glanced at the dark haired boy. Juyeon already didn’t react as much when playing games, but he was even more stoic that day, far from how Kevin was exaggeratedly yelling at Mario missing a power-up. 

 

“So you’re saying Juyeon-hyung shouldn’t be the one playing victim here?” Haknyeon questioned, a bit too loudly. His timing was off as well, since he asked just in time as the level the others were playing ended, and Juyeon had transferred his attention to them. The dorm room was a small place, after all, and without the loud noises from the television and even louder ones from Kevin and Jacob, Haknyeon’s statement was clear as day. 

 

Juyeon blinked, “what was that?”

 

“Nothing, hy—“ 

 

“He said,” Chanhee interrupted, a stern look on his face. Now or never, he figured, while they’ve still got time. “That between you and Hwall, you’re not the one who gets to sulk.”

 

“What do you mean by that?” Juyeon asked, without much malice, pure confusion seeping into his words instead. He always had been rather dense, but even more so when it came to feelings. Both his own and other’s. For him, it was simple. Hwall said they weren’t soulmates, so clearly their relationship wouldn’t work out. Hwall wasn’t his soulmate, no matter how much Juyeon wanted him to be, or how much he felt attracted to Hwall regardless.

 

Changmin piped up when Chanhee didn’t continue, “I’ve seen the kid. He looks just as bad as you, maybe even worse, and that’s saying something since he’s always been so bright. No offense, man, we know you feel bad and all, but—you were the one who turned Hwall down because he isn’t your soulmate.”

 

“He doesn’t believe in soulmates at all,” Juyeon said, remembering what Hwall said that night.

 

“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t believe in love,” came the soft voice of Jacob from beside him, who looked at him with sad eyes, as if hoping Juyeon would see their point. “It doesn’t mean you don’t, either. Wouldn’t you rather fall for someone who likes you as you are?”

 

“Soulmarks be damned,” Haknyeon agreed, nodding enthusiastically. “We’re all already pretty sure you like Hwall regardless, anyway. You were all over him before this soulmate mess.”

 

The bracelet on Juyeon’s wrist felt heavier than ever, but not as much as the weight of the words his friends just said to him. He knew what was written on his wrist, has memorized it since it first appeared, from the name itself down to how it was written. As he stared down at the bracelet, he instead found himself visualizing Hwall’s smiling face instead, which was all it took for him to realize what he had to do next.

 

Juyeon ran.

 

In retrospect, he probably shouldn’t have left his friends alone in his dorm room, but that was hardly anything new. Knowing them, they’d probably still be there when he got back, anyway. So he ran, all the way out the building and to the place he’d been visiting more and more the past few weeks. He knew the route by heart, still did, despite not seeing Hwall for an entire week since their last encounter. He memorized his schedule, too, and knew the boy should be there.

 

Instead, Juyeon was met with Sunwoo, who looked at him like he was dirt on his shoe.

 

"You're a shallow idiot, Engineering major Lee Juyeon," Sunwoo said immediately once he saw Juyeon standing by the dance studio’s door, disregarding how the person he was talking to was a full 2 years older than him as he threw all formalities out the window. Juyeon definitely deserved that, but he wasn't even given a chance to speak as the younger boy continued. "Hwall told me what happened. He's not here. I’m not telling you where he is, either, so don’t bother wasting your time. Bit too late, aren’t you?” 

 

"I have to talk to him," Juyeon finally managed to say after catching his breath. 

 

Sunwoo all but glared at him, "and _what_ , break his heart a second time? You and your _stupid soulmate fantasy_. I told him this was a mistake from the very beginning, but what does he do? Heignores me and falls for you anyway.” 

 

“He did?“ The older boy blurted out a giddy feeling bubbling up within him for a few seconds despite himself. He had assumed the thing with Hwall was mutual, of course, and it did feel that way—but hearing it confirmed still felt nice despite the terrible situation. Sunwoo rolled his eyes when he noticed, which probably earned him even less points that he wanted.

 

“Don’t act like you don’t know. Why else would he get this worked up over you?”

 

He snapped out of his little reverie—after all, what good was that knowledge if nothing happened between the two of them anyway, right?—and met Sunwoo’s gaze.

 

“Please,” Juyeon said. “I swear I won’t make the same mistake. Actually, I’m pretty sure my current decision is the right one, now. Let me fix things, Sunwoo."

 

The brunette stared at him, cold and calculating, before he seemed to give in to Juyeon's puppy dog look and let out a heavy sigh.

 

"He's an idiot, you're an idiot, both of you are idiots," Sunwoo complained, ruffling the back of his hair in an annoyed gesture. He sighed again before continuing, "I'm an idiot, too, since I'm about to help you two patch up. When he's sad, he goes to the library. Good luck figuring out which section. You _better_ make sure you're not messing things up again, Lee Juyeon. I meant what I said when we met. This is your last chance."

 

Juyeon thanked him and began to run again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those who have supported the story so far! I started this way before a lot of Juhwall things has actually happened, but I am very very very pleased to see that my little ship has been sailing and that there's more shipping them, too!!! ♡♡♡ The story will be ending by the next chapter, since I never planned for this to be this long in the first place. Please look forward to it~ ♡


	6. Chapter 6

It turned out that finding Hwall was easier than Juyeon thought.

 

Thankfully, Sunwoo didn’t lie to him. The pale boy really was in the library, which was surprising enough since it was such a quiet place for the usually hyperactive boy. Keeping Hwall there, though, proved to be the problem. Juyeon found him in the corner where people don’t usually end up at; the moment Hwall laid eyes on him, the younger boy made a move to pack his things and go, if it wasn’t for Juyeon holding his wrist to stop him.

 

Hwall stared at the fingers that closed over his the bandaid covering his soulmark—Juyeon didn’t mean to hold him there, really—jerking away after a few seconds as if burned.

 

“I’m trying to study.”

 

Juyeon took a deep breath, releasing it in a slight chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood as he sat down next to the other boy, “exams just finished this week. Hwall, can I talk to you?”

 

“We’re talking right now,” Hwall noted, refusing to meet Juyeon’s eyes, but Juyeon could tell the younger got a bit flustered by his excuse failing. The slight flush on his cheeks said it all. He continued fixing his stuff regardless. “I don’t have anything to say anymore, hyung.”

 

“I do,” the older boy began to say, voice slightly raising before coming to a pause. There was no way they could have a proper conversation in the library; even in the secluded corner, any sort of loud noise would easily bounce against the walls and echo around. He needed to get Hwall out of the area, which shouldn’t be that hard since Hwall was close to running away, anyway.

 

Juyeon stood up, surprising Hwall as the pale boy looked up at him before catching himself and looking back down at his stuff, a slightly disappointed look on his face. The small gesture gave Juyeon the push he needed and the reassurance that things weren’t ending on a sad note just yet. He extended his arm towards Hwall, hand poised in front of the other boy.

 

“Come with me?”

 

Hwall stood up, but didn’t take his hand.

 

“I’ll follow, but I don’t need to be led there,” Hwall said softly.

 

Juyeon nodded. He’ll take what he can get, after all. 

 

He left the library with Hwall in tow, looking back every now and then to make sure the other boy really was following and not escaping. Hwall’s movements were still on guard, still as if running away was the option he wanted to choose, but he continued to walk behind Juyeon. He always was too curious for his own good. Juyeon couldn’t help but smile at the sight as he walked towards his planned destination: the park, where everything went wrong just a few days before.

 

Hwall must have noticed, as his steps grew more cautious.

 

“Juyeon-hyung—“ He opened his mouth, possibly to complain, but Juyeon cut him off.

 

“A little bit further, Hwall,” the older boy said as they continued to walk, finally stopping at the same spot Hwall said they weren’t soulmates. Thankfully, Hwall did continue to follow, ever obedient even if the discomfort on his face showed clearly. Juyeon smiled a little, “we’re here.”

 

Hwall kept his eyes pointed to the ground, “why are we back here?”

 

“I wanted to make things right,” Juyeon said, heart suddenly hammering in his chest at the possibility that things wouldn’t be made right in the end. “If you’d let me.”

 

When Hwall didn’t say anything, he decided it was a sign for him to continue.

 

“Hwall, I like you,” Juyeon said firmly, noticing how a jolt of surprise ran through Hwall as the younger boy finally stared back at him. Encouraged, the older boy took a deep breath and spoke again. “I really, really like you. Whether we’re soulmates or not, please, give me another chance. Give us a chance.”

 

He stepped closer, taking Hwall’s hand in his as he did so, delighted when the younger boy let him.

 

“I love you.”

 

“Hyung, do you mean that?” Hwall said, voice barely a whisper.

 

“More than anything I’ve ever said before.”

 

Things happened almost too quickly, after that. Hwall went from frozen in shock to hugging him in mere seconds, allowing himself to melt into Juyeon’s touch as the older boy hugged him back. Instead of the guilt Juyeon was accustomed with, the gnawing feeling at the back of his head that whispered his soulmate’s name, he felt nothing but happiness as he hugged Hwall close. They stayed that way for a while longer before he felt Hwall’s body stiffen, making him release the younger boy.

 

“Hwall? Is something wrong?” Juyeon asked immediately, suddenly realizing that despite the hug, Hwall never said the three words back to him. Unwanted worry began to fill him up, but he pushed it down.

 

Hwall stared at him, sharp eyes meeting his as the younger boy began to bite his bottom lip, a habit Juyeon knew meant he was nervous about something. 

 

“Hyung, call me by my real name.”

 

Juyeon blinked, “I don’t know your—“

 

“Hyunjoon. Heo Hyunjoon.”

 

Just like that, time froze. The voice in Juyeon’s head that chanted his soulmate’s name returned, except louder this time, just as loudly as his heart was beating in his chest. It’s always been familiar, of course, years of staring at the name marked on his wrist made sure of that. It was a name he would repeat to himself after every failed date. It was the name he ignored in favour of seeking Hwall. Except this time, he was hearing the name in Hwall’s voice—out of Hwall’s lips—and suddenly everything made sense. 

 

The immediate attraction he had to Hwall just upon watching him dance, the ease of their conversations and moments together, sweet and perfect. The way Hwall’s smile was brighter than the sun, his chic outlook disappearing with every word he said. The moments they shared where time seem to stop and go too quickly all at once, the joy of just being near him, and the overwhelming sadness when Juyeon realized he pretty much messed things up.

 

He was too lost in thought to realize that Hwall was removing the bandaid that covered his mark, revealing a name that Juyeon was also familiar with. 

 

His own. 

 

“It was really hard knowing you’re my soulmate all this time and having to pretend I wasn’t already in love with you,” Hwall—no, Hyunjoon—said with a shaky laugh, obviously trying to hold back tears. “Even with my own mentality about soulmates. I didn’t want to like you right away, but you made it so easy. Then we took things slow, and it made me realize that it wasn’t a forced matter at all, but I just…”

 

He trailed off, voice quiet.

 

“I wanted you to be sure of me, too. I’m sorry, it was pretty selfish of me. I lied to you.”

 

Did it matter? A part of Juyeon wanted to complain about it. They could have gotten together way before today, since the first time they met, but that would mean missing out on how shy Hyunjoon was when they all began. The moments that lead to them getting together, falling in love with him because he was Hwall, just Hwall, and not his soulmate. In the end, he wouldn’t trade those for the world.

 

Besides, he did pull off a pretty bad move rejecting Hyunjoon. He rejected his soulmate just because he didn’t have visible proof, as if his feelings weren’t enough. Juyeon didn’t really have a right to be mad, if Hyunjoon’s mentality proved to be a valid concern.

 

The younger boy fidgeted, looking nervous as the silence continued, and Juyeon finally decided to ease the tension.

 

“Hyunjoon,” he said, testing how the name sounded from his lips now that he had a face to match it to, and the happiness that came with it. Juyeon grinned when he noticed the blush on the younger’s cheeks upon him saying so, “I’ve never been more sure of anything. I knew you were mine the moment you shone on that stage. Even if it took me a while.”

 

A smile slowly began to form on Hyunjoon’s lips, before breaking into a full out grin. 

 

Juyeon couldn’t help but smile back, even as he closed the gap to plant a kiss on the other boy’s cheek, watching it turn an even brighter shade of pink. He continued to smile throughout Hyunjoon’s reaction—a delighted, surprised laugh that earned Juyeon a whack on his chest—and especially when the younger boy moved closer to do the same. The kiss was soft and sweet, and everything Juyeon imagined it to be with someone as equally soft and sweet as Hyunjoon, even if it only lasted a second.

 

“I’m getting more of that, right?” Juyeon asked teasingly.

 

Hyunjoon smiled, “if you’re good, sure.”

 

Soulmarks really did have a weird way of working out. In the end, if it’s meant to be, it’ll be. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS TURNED OUT SO MUCH LONGER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD SO I MADE IT CHAPTERED INSTEAD AND AAHHHHH. The ending was planned out before any of the bits in the middle, but I genuinely didn’t think I’d end up writing this much for a ship I just started to get into; Juhwall does things to me. It is good for my heart. I hope they interact more soon. They haven’t even debuted yet when I started this, but now it’s been a good few months with Juhwall moments growing, and I can only hope for more of them in the future.
> 
> This probably won’t be the last time I write for them, since that’s just how I am with my ships. If you have any prompts, ideas, or even just want to yell at me about Juhwall, catch me on Twitter @hwallyeon! I’m not the most active, but I do lurk around for Juhwall content a lot.
> 
> Once last thank you to everyone who read the fic while it was in the making, and to everyone who will read it now that it’s done. Juhwall4lyf.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like my work and would like to support me, please consider buying me coffee! https://ko-fi.com/stilljunhui


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